In the quiet clearing of a forest in India, a community leader holds a freshly printed land claim map—her name, along with her family’s, etched in ink. Miles away, in the lush landscapes of northern Uganda, a woman beams as she receives her Certificate of Customary Ownership, knowing that for the first time, she can pass land on to her children with confidence. These moments—quiet yet profound—are the heartbeat of Cadasta’s 2024 Annual Report.
This year, amid deepening climate threats and continued land insecurity, Cadasta and our partners worked hand in hand with communities across the globe to help them do what too often seems impossible: assert their rights, protect their land, and build more secure and sustainable futures.
Behind Every Hectare: A Story of Trust and Transformation
At first glance, the numbers in our 2024 report speak of milestones at scale:
- 30 million hectares documented across 52 countries
- Seven million people supported in strengthening their tenure security
But behind each figure is a story of trust, of local leadership rising to meet global challenges, and of technology used not to displace but to empower. In partnership with 13 organizations under the UK International Development-funded Strengthening Land and Forest Rights Program, Cadasta worked
with 2,359 communities in 2024 to document nearly four million hectares of land. This effort reached over 400,000 Indigenous and local people, more than half of them women. For these communities, land rights are not just legal documents—they are shields against displacement, keys to environmental stewardship, and stepping stones to economic security.
Women Hold the Land—and the Future
One of the clearest signs of progress came from Uganda, where a partnership with the Ujamaa Foundation and the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development (MLHUD) resulted in 5,550 Certificates of Customary Ownership, 77% of which include women’s names. These aren’t just documents—they’re declarations of equality, economic potential, and generational change.
Across 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Cadasta supported communities in documenting 6.1 million hectares, reaching 45,688 households in 2024. And in all this work, one principle held firm: people must own their data and their decisions.
Learning from the Ground Up
To better understand our impact, Cadasta commissioned independent evaluations in India and Uganda. The findings reinforced what our partners already knew: when communities lead, and technology supports—not dictates—transformative change takes root.
In India, partnerships with PRADAN, Waatavaran, and ARCH-Vahini led to the documentation of 50,000+ hectares of ancestral forest land, impacting over 200,000 people. Evaluation findings highlighted how mapping tools simplified land claims, amplified women’s participation, and fostered transparency and trust.
In Uganda, our collaboration with the Ujamaa Foundation and the MLHUD documented 12,357 parcels and directly benefited over 45,000 individuals, including 19,000 women. The outcomes? Fewer land conflicts, greater investment, and new paths to credit and opportunity.
Elevating Voices, Influencing Change
Cadasta’s impact went beyond the field. In global forums—from the World Bank Land Conference to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues—we helped spotlight land rights as a cornerstone of climate resilience. Our CEO, Amy Coughenour Betancourt, brought these insights to a broader audience through features in Geospatial World and SustainabilityX® Magazine, urging global leaders to prioritize tenure security in climate, gender, and development strategies.
A Vision for the Road Ahead
As we look to the future, Cadasta is doubling down on what works—and scaling it. We’re investing in:
- Expanded community mapping and ecosystem protection
- Stronger land rights for women and Indigenous peoples
- Accessible GIS training and affordable documentation tools
- Advisory support to strengthen government transparency and land governance
At the core of it all is ethical, community-owned data governance—because land rights are only secure when communities control the data that defines them.
Explore the full 2024 Cadasta Annual Report to see how technology, trust, and local leadership are reshaping land tenure—and lives—across the globe.